The United Nations is needed more than ever: General Assembly President

Our United Nations provides a unique forum for its Member States to deliberate on matters that most concern the world's people and to work towards common solutions, President of the UN General Assembly Dr. John Ashe said in a message marking United Nations Day on Thursday 24 October.

Ambassador Ashe noted that since its' founding in 1945, the United Nations has always been looked upon by the international community as a global organisation that might one day lead to a more just world, grounded in the values of peace, human rights and prosperity for all.

He noted "Sixty-eight years later, we can safely say the United Nations is needed more than ever".

He said "Our concerted efforts have led to great successes, in which we can all take pride," pointing to a decline in the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by more than half; a drop in child mortality for children under 5 by more than 40 per cent and impressive gains in the fight against HIV and AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, among other gains.

But the General Assembly president cautioned that "with one billion people still living on less than $1.25 a day, and a number of persistent or emerging development challenges, much more needs to be done."

Ambassador Ashe urged all to "let the inspiration that led to the founding of this family of nations guide us and inspire us in this new chapter of our shared history."